My Faith, Restored

Detail of Museum of Modern Art - S.F.

Today (first Tuesday of the month) is free admission day at SFMOMA. There are two kinds of free, a five dollar free to see the special exhibits and a regular free to see the usual suspects. And yes, it was a long line. (either kind of free is a savings on the usual price) My first stop was the corner that Joseph Cornell lives in. I keep imagining that Wintermute might slip in a new box when no one is looking . (come on, it's not that obscure; hint - Lady 3Jane Tessier-Ashpool, Molly, the Finn) That business being attended to, it's off to Warhol, Johns, Matisse, et al. One gallery consisted of a scattering of small paintings and a single wall-sized 3D lithograph with a standing installation in the middle of the floor. The floor piece consisted of black-plush poodles ( $1.29 ea if bought in bulk) standing in four concentric rings around a baby doll laying on a green paper cutout of a star. To my left, a tall professor type, straight out of central casting , was explaining the significance of this work to a group of Asian students. '...interior motive ... deconstructing the ritual .... aesthetics of the neo-objective.' I was feeling pretty down. "I'm just not getting it." Suddenly a little girl came bursting through, ducking between everyone's legs, pointing, and she was yelling in the happiest voice one can imagine; 'Mama, look at that ... LOOK Mama.' Darn good advice.

Allison's Birthday

Allison Considers Her Cousin

The mysterious woman in the picture is the other half of the Amazing Tans, Allison, who is having a birthday tomorrow.Happy Birthday to you, Happy ...(repeat 4x Rubusto)

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

United States Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047 (Unclassified)

Somewhat acronym rich, but that's how they do. I don't think I need remind anyone that what starts on the battlefield, doesn't necessarily stay on the battlefield. Stay tuned for home-brew kits in the back of Popular Mechanics featuring an open payload slot.

Minnie the Moocher

A public domain copy of Max Fleischer's Betty Boop with Cab Calloway. Found here in the Film Chest Vintage Cartoons subsection of the internet archives. No need for any bla-bla on my part about the current crop of Saturday morning fare, it's just not on the same playing field.

thanks to Cory Doctorow at boingboing

Temporary Park

Blocking off Mason st.

Somebody was thinking at City Hall. I know you think I'm going to launch off on a fantasy or reveal it was all a dream, but it really happened. North Beach library is due for its seismic makeover. The construction money has been set aside for construction, as opposed to committees, signature salespeople, politically connected academics, and theorists of various stripes. ( Brylcreem Boy is off running for Governor, and the circus of supervisors is summering in Marin) The environmental impact statement needs to be signed so the digging and hammering can start. Someone, God bless their soul, decided to block the area with a temporary park, and actually count the cars shunted off to Columbus st. Of course, the idea of actual numbers on an impact statement upsets some people. No theoretical papers, no need for a special committee to meet at the Mandarin Oriental @ $10K per, and even less need for a supervisor to come to the rescue someone living in St. Francis Wood who feels the city should buy his signature because...well, he drove by once. Actual numbers, generated on site, in the neighborhood, in San Francisco. I'm sure the person who did this won't have much trouble getting a real job when the city identifies and fires him/her.

Various and Sundry

View from Saint Mary's Square

Sunday ... Rent paid, check ... Coffee, check ... double expresso, check ... Doing something useful, ...uhh, Sunday, check.

Various and Sundry

• Peer to Peer in India
• Stockbots and Anti-Stockbots
• Larison on Iraq Strategy
• Gates, another opinion
• Time on Hipsters
• Annie Lennox Mashup

The sun isn't quite out, and it's still chilly ( August in S.F., after all ) but it's looking like a good day here, hope you're having the same.

Diane Arbus

Anderson Cooper by Diane Arbus

"Diane Arbus (née Nemerov) was born in New York City into a wealthy, Jewish family." Her art was a bit fascistic. Ordinary people, cleverly packaged, for the delectation of the wealthy and pampered. A sort of curatorial carnival sideshow with critical commentary. They're not like us, you know. We're "immune and exempt from circumstance." I suspect that if she turned her eye toward artists and their support cadres, "most original and influential" would turn to nada and a day job.